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US5545128A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Bone fracture prevention method

Assignee: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
•
Filing: 1995-06-05
•
Granted: 1996-08-13
•
Expires: 2015-06-05
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Abstract

Abstract A garment, in one embodiment of the invention, reduces the risk of bone fracture of a human or animal subject due to impact forces on a vulnerable region having a bone part near the skin surface when the vulnerable region is proximate to a soft tissue region lacking a bone part near the skin surface. The garment has an arrangement for shunting a substantial portion of the impact energy from the vulnerable region to the soft tissue region, where such energy may be safely absorbed and/or dissipated. In a further embodiment, there is utilized a dilatent material that is relatively stiff near the time of impact and relatively fluid at other times. Related methods are also provided.

Inventors

  • 👤 Wilson C. Hayes
  • 👤 Stephen N. Robinovitch
  • 👤 Thomas A. McMahon

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 23:00
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F15/00; A61F15/008; A41; A41D; A41D13/00; A41D13/015; A41D13/0156; A41D13/05; A41D13/0506; A41D13/055; A41D13/0556; A41D13/0568; A41D31/00; A41D31/04; A41D31/28; A41D31/285; A61F13/00; A61F13/06; A61F5/00; A61F5/01; A61F5/30; A61F5/34; A61F5/0102; A61F2005/0181; A61F2005/0183; A61F2013/00089; A61F2013/00272

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim 97 words
A method of reducing the risk of bone injury of a human or animal subject due to impact forces on a vulnerable region having a bone part near the skin surface, the method comprising: providing shear thickening material disposed in at least one compliant enclosure; and mounting the at least one compliant enclosure on the subject so as to overlie a soft tissue region, lacking a bone part near the skin surface, proximate to the vulnerable region in a manner to permit the shunting of impact energy away from the vulnerable region to the soft tissue region.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 97 words
A method of reducing the risk of bone injury of a human or animal subject due to impact forces on a vulnerable region having a bone part near the skin surface, the method comprising: providing shear thickening material disposed in at least one compliant enclosure; and mounting the at least one compliant enclosure on the subject so as to overlie a soft tissue region, lacking a bone part near the skin surface, proximate to the vulnerable region in a manner to permit the shunting of impact energy away from the vulnerable region to the soft tissue region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 48 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one compliant enclosure is shaped, in accordance with anatomical features of the vulnerable region and the soft tissue region, so as to shunt a substantial portion of the impact energy from the vulnerable region to the soft tissue region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 60 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one compliant enclosure has a horseshoe shape including two arms and defining an exposed interior area between the two arms and wherein the step of mounting comprises mounting the at least one compliant enclosure on the subject such that the interior area coincides generally with the vulnerable region to be protected.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one compliant enclosure has an annular shape defining an interior area and wherein the step of mounting comprises mounting the at least one compliant enclosure on the subject such that the interior area coincides generally with the vulnerable region to be protected.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of mounting comprises adhering.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of mounting comprises putting on a pair of short pants carrying the at least one compliant enclosure.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 112 words
A method of reducing the risk of bone injury of a human or animal subject due to impact forces on a vulnerable region having a bone part near the skin surface, there being a soft tissue region proximate the vulnerable region and lacking a bone part near the skin surface, the method comprising: providing shear thickening material disposed in at least one compliant enclosure; and mounting the at least one compliant enclosure on the subject so as to overlie the soft tissue region proximate to the vulnerable region but not the vulnerable region in a manner to permit the shunting of impact energy from the vulnerable region to the soft tissue region.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 112 words
A method of reducing the risk of bone injury of a human or animal subject due to impact forces on a vulnerable region having a bone part near the skin surface, there being a soft tissue region proximate the vulnerable region and lacking a bone part near the skin surface, the method comprising: providing shear thickening material disposed in at least one compliant enclosure; and mounting the at least one compliant enclosure on the subject so as to overlie the soft tissue region proximate to the vulnerable region but not the vulnerable region in a manner to permit the shunting of impact energy from the vulnerable region to the soft tissue region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 48 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the at least one compliant enclosure is shaped, in accordance with anatomical features of the vulnerable region and the soft tissue region, so as to shunt a substantial portion of the impact energy from the vulnerable region to the soft tissue region.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 57 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one compliant enclosure has a horseshoe shape including two arms and defining an exposed interior area between the two arms and wherein the step of mounting comprises mounting the at least one compliant enclosure on the subject such that the interior area coincides generally with the vulnerable region.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 48 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one compliant enclosure has an annular shape defining an interior area and wherein the step of mounting comprises mounting the at least one compliant enclosure on the subject such that the interior area coincides generally with the vulnerable region.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the step of mounting comprises adhering.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the step of mounting comprises putting on a pair of short pants carrying the at least one compliant enclosure.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 139 words
A method of reducing the risk of bone injury of a human or animal subject due to impact forces on a vulnerable region having a bone part near the skin surface, there being opposing soft tissue regions proximate the vulnerable region on opposite sides of the vulnerable region and the soft tissue regions each lacking a bone part near the skin surface, the method comprising: providing shear thickening material disposed in at least one compliant enclosure configured to include two arms defining an exposed area between the arms; and mounting the at least one compliant enclosure on the subject with the two arms overlying the opposing soft tissue regions, the at least one compliant enclosure serving to receive impact energy directed toward the vulnerable region and retransmitting a substantial portion of the impact energy to the soft tissue regions.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 139 words
A method of reducing the risk of bone injury of a human or animal subject due to impact forces on a vulnerable region having a bone part near the skin surface, there being opposing soft tissue regions proximate the vulnerable region on opposite sides of the vulnerable region and the soft tissue regions each lacking a bone part near the skin surface, the method comprising: providing shear thickening material disposed in at least one compliant enclosure configured to include two arms defining an exposed area between the arms; and mounting the at least one compliant enclosure on the subject with the two arms overlying the opposing soft tissue regions, the at least one compliant enclosure serving to receive impact energy directed toward the vulnerable region and retransmitting a substantial portion of the impact energy to the soft tissue regions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one compliant enclosure has a horseshoe shape including the two arms.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the step of mounting comprises adhering.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the step of mounting comprises putting on a pair of short pants carrying the at least one compliant enclosure.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 105 words
A method of reducing risk of bone injury due to impact forces on a greater trochanter disposed in a hip of a human or animal subject, the method comprising: providing an energy shunting pad in the shape of a horseshoe including two arms and defining an exposed interior area between the two arms; and mounting the energy shunting pad on the subject so that the interior area coincides generally with the greater trochanter and femur so that a substantial portion of impact energy directed at the hip is shunted from the greater trochanter to the soft tissue region where such energy may be safely dissipated.
Claim 21
Independent Claim 105 words
A method of reducing risk of bone injury due to impact forces on a greater trochanter disposed in a hip of a human or animal subject, the method comprising: providing an energy shunting pad in the shape of a horseshoe including two arms and defining an exposed interior area between the two arms; and mounting the energy shunting pad on the subject so that the interior area coincides generally with the greater trochanter and femur so that a substantial portion of impact energy directed at the hip is shunted from the greater trochanter to the soft tissue region where such energy may be safely dissipated.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the step of mounting comprises adhering.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the step of mounting comprises putting on a pair of short pants carrying the energy shunting pad.
Claim 24
Independent Claim 104 words
A method of reducing risk of bone injury due to impact forces on a hip of a human or animal subject, the method comprising: providing energy shunting padding including two arms defining an exposed interior area between the two arms; and mounting the energy shunting padding on the subject so that no padding overlies the femur, the interior area coincides with the femur and the two arms lie proximate to the femur so that a substantial portion of impact energy directed at the femur is shunted to soft tissue regions of the hip proximate to the femur where such energy may be safely dissipated.
Claim 25
Independent Claim 104 words
A method of reducing risk of bone injury due to impact forces on a hip of a human or animal subject, the method comprising: providing energy shunting padding including two arms defining an exposed interior area between the two arms; and mounting the energy shunting padding on the subject so that no padding overlies the femur, the interior area coincides with the femur and the two arms lie proximate to the femur so that a substantial portion of impact energy directed at the femur is shunted to soft tissue regions of the hip proximate to the femur where such energy may be safely dissipated.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 20 wherein the step of mounting comprises adhering.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 20 wherein the step of mounting comprises putting on a pair of short pants carrying the energy shunting padding.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-08-13 2000-02-12 2000-08-13 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-08-13 2004-02-12 2004-08-13 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-08-13 2008-02-12 2008-08-13 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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